Bullying Prevention
“Our lives begin to end the
day we become silent about things that matter.”
-Martin Luther King Jr.
Bullying is commonly found in the classroom, on the playground,
inside the home, and within the neighbourhoods.
- It is the habitual harassing, intimidating, tormenting,
browbeating, humiliating, terrorizing, oppressing, and/or
threatening words
spoken to another person.
- It can be physical, sexually, verbally or emotionally harmful.
- It is one of the most serious concerns in schools today.
- It often leads to serious violent crimes.
Bullying has no social, financial or cultural boundaries
- Children often become bullies by observing adult behavior.
- Youth, teachers, police and communities must work together
to keep children safe. Every child has the right to be
safe.
- Children’s bullying frequently occurs in and around
school property.
- Bullying most often occurs in the middle school years.
- Approximately 160,000 students don’t attend school
everyday because they are in fear of being bullied (U.S.
Department
of Justice and the National Association of School Psychologists).
- Children who bully and children who are victimized by bullying
often suffer emotional and behavioral problems.
Suggestions for youth, parents, schools and the community
Often, bullying is said to be, “part of growing up.” This
is wrong, and each of us needs to take a role in eradicating
bullying.
What children and youth can do?
- Respect everyone; talk to and treat others as you would
like to be treated
- Tell a parent or teacher if you have been bullied, or if
you witness another being bullied.
- Talk to your parents, relatives and friends about “bullying” issues.
- Support other students.
- Agree with your friends, parents, and teachers that bullying
is not tolerated in your school or community.
What parents can do?
- It is important for parents to be involved in all of their
children’s activities, to prevent bullying and
its consequences.
- Monitor your children’s activities, actions and words.
- Model good behavior
- Listen to your children
- Let children know that bullying other people is not acceptable
- Get to know your children’s friends
- Look for resources to assist you in responding to bullying
situations.
- Be involved with your children’s school and extra
curricular activities.
- Work together in the community to create and maintain an
environment free from bullying and intolerance.
- Teach your children about RESPECT and TOLERANCE for all.
What education can do?
- All children
have a right to attend school in a safe environment.
- Assess the level of bullying by conducting student and
educator surveys.
- Supervise students outside of the classroom, in other areas
on campus, and intervene when you observe bullying behavior.
- Provide school-wide activities to address bullying education.
- Train school staff to recognize and intervene in bullying
behavior.
- Provide a mechanism for students and teachers to report
bullying
- Listen to parents when they express concern of another
child’s
behavior.
- Approach bullies in private; do not talk to the bully and
the victim at the same time because the bully may continue
his/her antics towards the victim.
- Resolve bullying issues early and advise families of the
accused victim and the accused bully of the incident.
- Obtain student input in the establishment of classroom
and school rules.
- Enforce rule violations in a fair and consistent manner.
- Establish a district-wide policy on bullying and let the
children and parents know about the policy.
- Parents with mental health professionals, and school counselors
to combat bullying.
- Form partnerships with law enforcement through a “memorandum
of understanding.”
- Develop intervention Strategies.
- Address bullying through your SAFE SCHOOL PLAN.
What community members can do?
- Everyone has a role in the
nurturing of children. The “community” in
which we live in is an active partner in taking care of
children.
- Communicate with and listen to youth about what the “see” and “hear.”
- Intervene when you hear or see a child bullying another
child.
- Involve children in bullying prevention education
- Youth serving organizations can take a stand against bullying
and teach tolerance.
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